1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to play facilities for installation in children's areas in amusement parks, department stores, supermarkets, or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
One conventionally known play facility, which can be set up in amusement parks or the like, is the so-called “water slide,” wherein a slide having a sliding surface down which a play participant can slide is provided with a water-pumping system that lets water flow down the sliding surface of the slide, so that the play participant can slide down the sliding surface together with the flowing water. (Cf. Japanese Unexamined Pat. App. Pub. No. 2000-167254A.)
In such water slides, the frictional resistance between the play participant and the sliding surface is reduced when the play participant slides down a sliding surface on which water flows, so that the sliding speed of the play participant is accelerated, thus letting the play participant experience the excitement of speeding down the slide while being immersed in the flowing water.
Nevertheless, while conventional water slides demonstrate such effects, their downside is that their overall configuration is very bulky, and it is virtually impossible to install them in indoor children's areas of department stores, supermarkets, etc., and another problem with them is that they can be used only in summer.
Also, since the sliding speed can be very fast, they are suitable for children above a certain height, but not for preschoolers.